Step 1

Liberally season the beef shanks with salt and pepper. Add the oil to a large Dutch oven and heat to high heat. Once hot, add the shanks, and sear until browned on all sides. If the Dutch oven isn’t large enough to hold all 4 shanks at once, do this step in batch. Once the beef is browned, remove from the Dutch oven and set aside.

Step 2

Lower the heat to medium heat, and add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Stir to combine, coating the vegetables with the oil and beef drippings. Cook until softened, about 5-10 minutes.

Step 3

Add the shanks and thyme on top of the vegetables. Pour in the red wine until the shanks are just about covered, but not completely covered. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 4

After simmering, cover the Dutch oven and place in an oven preheated to 300ºF. Cook for 2 – 3 hours, until the shanks are tender.

Step 5

Once shanks are tender, remove the Dutch oven from the oven, and remove the thyme and shanks from the Dutch oven. Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables and liquid into a smooth sauce. Alternatively, pour the liquid into a blender, and blend into a smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Step 6

Serve the shanks over mashed potatoes with a generous helping of sauce and chopped parsley for garnish. Enjoy!